Goose Feathers: Bringing Back Tradition

Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes. In the mid 1800’s, Germany experienced a deforestation, one that became particularly important around the Christmas holiday as people prepared to cut down a tree and decorate their home. A popular and innovative alternative was born: a Christmas tree made with goose feathers.

This type of Christmas tree remained popular in Germany until the mid 20th century, and the tradition spread throughout the United States as well. The Sears Roebuck catalogue played an integral part in the tree’s widespread use until around 1950, when synthetic trees were deemed the more desirable alternative. The goose feather tree is dubbed the original artificial Christmas tree.

Today there is some revival of the lost art by creating trees and topiaries made of goose feathers, peacock feathers or phesant feathers. Typically, they can be costly to buy, but relatively inexpensive to make. By purchasing these feathers, several steps in the process have been done for you, such as dyeing and washing. Outlets such as Continental Feathers offers a variety of feathers, including those that be constructed in a crafted tree.

Many fly fishing enthusiasts opt for making, or tying their own jigs. Mallard feathers are typically the feather of choice for this particular craft. Continental Feathers offers a mallard wing pair that would suit the needs of any fly fisherman. Duck feathers offer the characteristics that are useful in making several types of flies.

• Dry fly, which is used on top of the water to mimic insects.
• Wet fly, for those submerged below the surface.
• Nymph, a fly imitating the nymph phase of an aquatic insect.
• Streamer, a fly imitating bait fish.

Both a nymph and a streamer are a type of wet fly. The composition of duck feathers makes them the ideal choice in the creation of these lures. They have the water buoyancy factor and also the color combination that make for a very realistic bait.